City must ‘bear responsibility’ for Jackson’s water problems, governor says

City must ‘bear responsibility’ for Jackson’s water problems, governor says

State help unlikely as city works to repair water problems

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Updated: 7:39 PM CST Jan 23, 2018

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WEBVTT HOW.>> THE MAYOR ON SUNDAY.THIS IS A PLEA FOR INDIVIDUALSWHO ARE TASKED WITH MAKINGDECISIONS WITHIN OUR LEGISLATURETO LOOK AT JACKSON'S LEGISLATIVEAGENDA.SCOTT: BUT SOME MEMBER'S OFJACKSON'S LEGISLATIVE DELEGATIONSAID, AS OF TUESDAY.>> I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHINGABOUT WATER.SCOTT: NEITHER STATEREPRESENATIVE EARLE BANKS NORSTATE SENATOR JOHN HORHN SAYTHEY HAVE BEEN ASKED BY THE CITYTO ASK THE STATE FOR ANYTHINGREGARDING WATER IMPROVEMENTS ANDREPAIRS.LAST YEAR THE STATE APPROVED THECAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS DISTRICTTHAT SETS ASIDE MILLIONS IN TAXCOLLECTIONS FOR ROAD AND WATERIMPROVEMENTS IN AROUND STATECAPITOL BUILDINGS FROM UMMC TOJSU.>> BUT IF WE START MAINTAININGTHE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE CITYOF JACKSON THEN WE NEED TOMAINTAIN THE INFRASTRUCTURE OFCITIES AND TOWNS ALL OVER THESTATE OF MISSISSIPPI.SCOTT: THE GOVERNOR SAYS THISCRISIS,THE CITY MUST FACEWITHOUT STATE HELP.>> LEADERSHIP IN THE CITY OFJACKSON HAS TO BEAR THERESPONSIBILITY AND FIND ASOLUTION FOR THOSE PROBLEMSHEARING.SCOTT: IS THERE ANYTHING THESTATE COULD DO TO HELP THEM?>> NOT REALLY, THIS IS NOT LIKEA DISASTER LIKE A TORNADO OR AHURRICANE SO THE LAW DOES NOTALLOW US NOW FOR EXAMPLE TO PUTANY FEMA DOLLARS TO THE REPAIROF INFRASTRUCTURE.>> THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BEWILLING TO PRIORITIZE AND THESTRUCTURE, WHICH IS CLEARLY ACORE FUNCTION OF GOVERNMENT ASOPPOSED TO SOME OF THE OTHERTHINGS THEY ARE DOING.SCOTT: THE CITYS INFRASTRUCTUREPROBLEMS HAVE BEEN BLAMED ONYEARS OF NEGLECT.IN SOME CASES, THE PIPES BEINGREPAIRED DATE BACK TO THE EARLY1900'S AND SHOULD HAVE BEENREPLACED LONG AGO.STATE LAWMAKER EARLE BANKSBELIEVES THE STATE CAN HELP THECITY, BY WAY OF BOND MONEY FORREPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS.>> IN A BOND BILL WE CAN BORROWTHE MONEY AND GIVE IT THE CITYOF JACKSON LIKE WE DO IN OTHERCITIES IN OTHER PARS OT THESTATE OF MISSISSIPPI.

City must ‘bear responsibility’ for Jackson’s water problems, governor says

Jackson water repairs continue, but the governor said Tuesday that there may be little else the state can do to help the city fix the problems.

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The city has more than 50 water line repair jobs that have not yet been assigned to a work crew. Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said Sunday that he hopes the state will help the city pay for the problem that has been going on since temperatures first lingered below freezing earlier this month.

“So, at this moment, this is a plea for individuals who are tasked with making decisions within our Legislature to look at Jackson’s legislative agenda,” Lumumba said.

Several members of Jackson’s legislative delegation told 16 WAPT News that the city has not asked them to ask the state for anything regarding new water improvements and repairs. Gov. Phil Bryant made it clear that, in his opinion, it’s the city’s problem to fix.

“The leadership in the city of Jackson has to bear the responsibility and find solutions for those problems,” Bryant said.

Bryant said the state can’t really do anything to help the city.

“This is not like a disaster, like a tornado or a hurricane, so the law does not allow us now, for example, to put any FEMA dollars to repair the infrastructure,” Bryant said.

State Rep. Earle Banks and state Sen. John Horhn, who represent Jackson, said the city has not asked them to request state assistance.

“Maybe it’s another deal like that, but we will have to call the city’s lobbyist and see what’s going on, say, ‘Hey, what do we need to do?’” Banks said.

Last year, lawmakers approved the Capital Improvement District, which designates tax money for road and water repairs in and around state buildings.